The Rock / Indie Category

All types and styles of rock including alternative rock and indie music. Past entries have included classic sixties and seventies rock, Indie and Alternative, Grunge, Heavy Metal, BritPop, modern contemporary rock and pop/rock crossover. Contestants in this category include bands as well as solo songwriters. Recordings can be of any type: eg studio, bedroom, garage or live show. Many entrants have had success: for example the 2011 Rock Category Winner, Danger Deep Water by Jason Flinter, was chosen to open and launch LABEL EXPO, the prestigious International Awards Show in Brussels and Jason was also asked to write the music for the 2012 EXPO SUMMIT in Capetown - "All thanks to the UKSC!" says Jason. The 2012 winner, Nathaniel Porter was approached and advised by contest judge and renowned producer Richard Niles and is now pursuing a career with the US band Parias Day. The Rock / Indie Category winner in 2013, Jaron Natoli, was featured on the hugely popular TV show Today Tonight and seen by millions in his native Australia when the results were announced. Listen to some examples of past entries below... Finalists, Semi Finalists, Commended Entries...In addition to the Category Winner there are also many Finalist, Semi Finalist and Commended Entry winners in this category - see the Prizes Page for full details of prizes - and everyone will have their songs heard and examined and rated by industry professionals. Every writer who makes the finals will receive International Copyright Registrations at SongCopyright.org courtesy of the UKSC. Everyone who enters will receive valuable and useful song pitching opportunities and songwriting courses with SongU and also free Broadjam memberships which together are worth US$100. Plus every songwriter is given the judges score for each song and also receives a UKSC Certificate for every song entered with details of the writer's achievement and position. This competition gives a genuine chance to all songwriters to be noticed and discovered by the music industry in London and to have their songs judged and scored by industry professionals. Many entrants who didn't win a category have been noticed and promoted through the contest and have received royalty earning radio play for their entries and many more have been featured in the press, in radio interviews and on prime time television. Many entrants in this contest have been published, or have been signed or produced, by top industry figures who closely follow this event looking for new talent.Examples of Rock Category Songs:Below are some examples of successful entries in this category:

Down The Road by Jaron Natoli. Rock Category Winner in 2013. Jaron was featured on prime time TV and seen by millions on the Today Tonight Show when the results came out along with contest judge Stuart Epps.

Good Thing by Daniella Salone (dZ)"Good Thing", written and performed by 11 year old Daniella Salone from Ontario, Canada, was Rock/Indie Winner in 2010. This video shows her singing and playing every instrument on the track.

The judges were impressed by this entry and even the 2010 Rock category Runner up Chris Merritt (hear his entry below) said: "It would be a great song even ignoring the fact that a young child wrote it and recorded every instrument! This girl is awesome. She can write better than almost every adult 'songwriter' I've met. If this chick keeps at it she will be truly great". A lot of people in the industry are watching this girl...

Pretty Monster was winner of the Rock category in 2012. It is performed here by the US Band Parias Day, who describe themselves as rock/alternative, and written by band member Nathaniel Porter. UKSC judge Richard Niles messaged from his studios in LA as soon as he heard the song saying: "Pretty Monster" is the one for me without question. And I want to produce this band!". Sting's producer Kipper Eldridge also had no doubts saying that: "My winner is Pretty Monster. Best lyric and most original fusing of cross genre for me."

Category winner in 2011. This is the first time a heavy metal song won this category and this well crafted entry has all the components of this classic genre - a genre that currently has a massive following worldwide. The photo shows writer Jason Flinter. After winning the category this song was chosen to open and launch LABEL EXPO, the prestigious major International Music Awards Show in Brussels and Jason was also then asked to write music for the 2012 Capetown, Mexico and Chicago Shows - "All thanks to the initial exposure through the UKSC!" says Jason....

Cult Of Karl by Chris MerrittThis song, Cult Of Karl by Chris Merritt from Virginia USA, was a Runner Up in the 2010 UK Songwriting Contest in the Rock / Indie Category. It was narrowly beaten to the winning position by the young Daniella Salone's song entry that year, Good Thing, which Chris very graciously described as "a great song" (see the video above on this page).

This video on the right was made for Cult of Carl sometime after the contest with art and direction by Steve Pick. Visit Chris's website for more of his unique music.